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The differences between electrical engineering technicians and electricians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become an electrical engineering technician, becoming an electrician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an electrical engineering technician has an average salary of $56,704, which is higher than the $48,850 average annual salary of an electrician.
The top three skills for an electrical engineering technician include test equipment, PLC and CAD. The most important skills for an electrician are hand tools, electrical equipment, and run conduit.
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Electrician | |
| Yearly salary | $56,704 | $48,850 |
| Hourly rate | $27.26 | $23.49 |
| Growth rate | - | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 133,838 | 17,245 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.86 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Average age | 50 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 12 |
An electrical engineering technician is responsible for evaluating and designing electrical systems and improving the control equipment to support business functions and operations. Electrical engineering technicians assemble and install components by analyzing blueprints and schematics accurately. They also strategize cost-reduction techniques without compromising the quality standards, requiring them to negotiate with trusted suppliers and vendors for tools and materials needed for the production. An electrical engineering technician monitors the conceptualization of layout designs until the final output launch to ensure stability and prevent downtimes.
An electrician is a skilled tradesman in charge of wirings and systems which provide electric power to a facility. They are trained to design, install, maintain, and troubleshoot electrical wiring systems. There are four basic types of an electrician - residential wiremen, inside wiremen, telecommunications electrician, and outside linemen. Some work on a standard 40-hour week shift while others are on-call duty. In some cases, traveling is also a vital key to their role where they would work for a few days before moving to another location.
Electrical engineering technicians and electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Electrician | |
| Average salary | $56,704 | $48,850 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $76,000 | Between $32,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Walnut Creek, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Applied Materials | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineering technician and an electrician in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Electrician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | - |
Here are the differences between electrical engineering technicians' and electricians' demographics:
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Electrician | |
| Average age | 50 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 3% |